Greater Outpouring Worship Center
Our weekly gathering
Greater Outpouring Worship Center
Greater Outpouring Worship Center
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Praise the Lord, everybody. We thank you for the ones that's going to be watching this podcast, listen to this podcast. We greet you and we thank you for coming to our weekly gathering here at Greater Out Point Worship Center right here in Pennsylvania. Where I am the host, Apostle Ed and my wife, Prophetess Marion. And tonight we're going to be um talking about pressure. But before we get into it, we're going to have prayer. And then we're going to get right into the word. Amen. Amen.
SPEAKER_00All right, go ahead. Praise God. Praise God. Hallelujah. We thank you and we praise you, Father God. Lord Jesus, we just humbly come before your throne in grace. In the precious name of Jesus. Father, we thank you for how, Father God, you watched over us another day. Another day, Father God, where we can spread your word, Father God, where we can show love, Father God, where we can hear, Father God, from a minister, Father God, that will bring forth your word to us, Father God. Open it up, Father God. We ask you to open our spirits and our minds, Father God, that we may receive what saith the Lord. And Father God, we just thank you and we praise you for all those that are listening and that are going to be listening to the word tonight, Father God. We ask you, Father God, to bless the speaker of the hour, Father God, and we ask, Father God, that you bless our household, Lord Jesus, as we continue to bring forth the Word of God. We give you the glory, we give you the honor, we give you the praise. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
SPEAKER_01Before we get started, I want to uh ask that it um when you watch the podcast or if you uh uh listen to it or however you're doing it, if you will um hit the like, share, and leave a comment in the comments. We we would appreciate it. And let us know if our uh sound is loud enough. We are having problems with people saying that the sound is very low, but we've been trying to work on it, trying to get it everything back to where um you can hear. We're having people listening to us from other states, other countries, and we want to make sure that we are loud enough for people to hear us. And tonight uh I want to just um encourage the people tonight and um get you prepared for the pressure that's getting ready to come. Yes. Hallelujah. Uh let's look at um first Corinthians chapter 16 verses 13.
SPEAKER_00Hallelujah. Praise the name of the Lord. First Corinthians 16 and 13 reads from the Amplified Version, be on guard, stand firm in your faith. Hallelujah. In God respecting his precept and keeping your doctrine sound. Act like men and be courageous, be strong, hallelujah.
SPEAKER_01The King James Version says, Watch ye stand fast in the faith. Quit you like men and be strong. Yes. Pressure is inevitable, but God prepares his people before he permits the pressure. Yes, he does. Every believer, or you can uh say everybody, really, everybody will face pressure. The believers and the unbelievers at some point in life will face pressure. Yes. Pressure comes through trials, through opposition, through temptation, through spiritual warfare, financial hardship, family struggles, ministry challenges, and waiting seasons. God never promised a pressure-free life. But he promised his presence and power. Yes. Pressure does not create your character. It reveals it. Just as diamonds are formed under pressure and olive oil comes through crushing, God often develops his greatest servants through pressure. Paul closed his first letter to the Corinth church by giving four commands that prepare believers for last battle. Watch, you can go back to the scripture. Watch, stand fast, be courageous, and be strong. Yes, hallelujah. These are not suggestions, they are commands. Watch ye. To watch means stay spiritually awake. Yes. Be alert. Stay aware. Don't become spiritually sleepy. Look at Matthew chapter number twenty-six and verse number forty-one.
SPEAKER_00Matthew chapter twenty-six and verse forty-one reads, keep actively watching and praying that you may not come into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.
SPEAKER_01Now look at first Peter five and eight.
SPEAKER_00That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
SPEAKER_01And look at Ephesians chapter six, verse eighteen. Hallelujah.
SPEAKER_00Ephesians six and eighteen.
SPEAKER_01Ephesians six and eighteen.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Ephesian and eighteen Ephesians six and eighteen reads with all prayer and petition, pray at all times on every occasion and in every season in the spirit. And with this in view, stay alert with all preservation and petition, interceding in prayer for all of God's people.
SPEAKER_01These are the five areas that we must watch. The first one, watch your walk. Your lifestyle must match your testimony. Yes. Watch your words. Words can build or destroy. Yes. Watch your worship. Pressure should never silence praise. Watch your relationships. Wrong people create unnecessary pressure. And watch your heart. Everything flows from the heart. So you can ask yourself these questions. What distractions keep believers spiritually asleep? How does prayer keep us alert? I go back to that scripture. We should um pray and not faint. What are warning signs of spiritual fatigue? The first sign of spiritual fatigue is you start getting weak. Fatigue will make you weak. You will get to a place where you just don't want to do anything anymore. Stand fast in the faith. Pressure always tries to move you. Paul says stand. Stand. Not run, not quit, not compromise. Stand. Ephesians six and thirteen.
SPEAKER_00Ephesians six and thirteen reads, therefore, put on the complete armor of God so that you will be able to resist and stand your ground in the evil day. And having done everything to stand firm, place fully prepared, immovable, and victorious.
SPEAKER_01When you've done all you can stand. You're already tired. You're already tired from the pressure. Now you're gonna get tired from standing. When you stand, standing will make you tired. But we've got to stand. Yes. I remember reading in um, I believe it's in in uh Exodus, I believe it's Exodus, where um Moses was out fighting and he was getting tired. But he had two people with him. As long as they held his hands up, they were winning. Yes. But when they got tired and started lowering their hands, they started losing. Through the losing and through the winning, Moses still had to stand. Yes. Look at Philippians chapter 1, verse 27.
SPEAKER_00Philippians 1, verse 27 reads, only lead your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. So that whether I do come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.
SPEAKER_01If I come back, or when I come back, I will still find you standing. Yes. And look at James chapter one, verses two, three, and four.
SPEAKER_00James one, two, three, and four read, consider it not, consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith precedes an endurance, leading to spiritual maturity and inner peace. Four, and let the endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work so that you may be perfect and complete lead develop, lacking in nothing.
SPEAKER_01Count it all joy. Everything that you go through, everything that is put on you, count it all joy. These are the five things pressure tries to move. Pressure asks, Does God really care? Faith answers God is still faithful. Never lower God's standard because culture changes. Stand on what you've been taught, stand on what you know. Culture's gonna change every day. But we must stay steadfast, stood in the gospel. Another one is your prayer life. Pressure should push us toward prayer, not away from it. When pressure hits, a lot of times that's God getting us getting our attention that we must pray about. Don't jump into it. Pray about the situation. Your commitment. Stay committed when feelings changes. Your hope. Hope anchors the soul. Pressure is temporary, but God's promises are eternal. Be courageous. Quit you like men. The meaning. Act courageously. Be mature and be bold. Joshua chapter one verse nine.
SPEAKER_00Joshua one and nine reads Have I not commanded you? Be strong and created. Do not be terrified or dismaised, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
SPEAKER_01Second Timothy one and seven.
SPEAKER_00Second Timothy one and seven reads. For God did not give us a spirit of um timid intimidation. Or coward or fear, but he has given us a spirit of power and of love and a sound judgment and personal discipline, abilities that result in calm, well balanced minds, and self-control.
SPEAKER_01Acts the fourth chapter, verses twenty-nine, thirty, and thirty-one.
SPEAKER_00Acts the fourth chapter. Verse twenty-nine, thirty, and thirty-one reads. And now Lord observes their threats. Take them into account, and grant that your bond servants may declare your message with great confidence. While you extend your hands to heal and sign, and signs and wonder take place through the name and the authority and the power of our holy servant and son Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage.
SPEAKER_01Courage, the word courage. They spoke the word with courage. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is obeying God while afraid. These are five ways courage appears. First one, speaking the truth, living holy, trusting God's timing, leading your family, and obeying God when no one else does. And these are just a few examples. Daniel in the lion's den. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire. Esther before the king. David before Goliath. Be strong. Strength comes from God, not personality, not education, and especially not money. Ephesians six and ten.
SPEAKER_00Ephesians six and ten reads, in conclusion, be strong in the Lord, draw your strength from him, and be empowered through your union with him, and in the power of his but abundant but bountyless might.
SPEAKER_01Isaiah chapter forty and verses um twenty-nine, thirty, and thirty-one.
SPEAKER_00Isaiah forty twenty nine twenty-nine and thirty and thirty-one. Isaiah forty verses twenty-nine, thirty, and thirty-one read, He gives strength to the weary, and to him who has no might, he increases power. Thirty. Even youth grow wary and tired, and vigorously young men stumble badly. Thirty-one. But those who wait for the Lord, who expect, look for, and hope in him will gain new strength and renew their power. They will lift up their wings like eagles. They will run and not be wary. They will walk and not tire.
SPEAKER_01Second Corinthians chapter twelve verses nine and ten Corinthians.
SPEAKER_00Second Corinthians twelve nine and ten read nine and ten. Okay. But he has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you. My loving kindness and my mercies are more than enough, always available, regardless of the situation, for my power is being perfect and is complete and shows itself most effectively in your weakness. Therefore, I will I will all the more gladly boast in my weakness so that the power of Christ may completely unfold me and may dwell in me. ten so I am well pleased with weakness, with the insult and distress, with caution and with difficulties for the sake of Christ, for when I am weak, then I am strong. Truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God's strength.
SPEAKER_01And here are five sources of spiritual strength. The first one is prayer. Prayer is spiritual oxygen. The word. Am I standing or compromising? You're compromising if you know the truth, but refuses to do the truth. That's compromise. Yes. You know what's right, you know what's wrong, you know what the word says, but to satisfy the flesh, I'm gonna do it so I can please everybody else. If I don't please everybody else, I'm not gonna fit in. Well, you weren't born to fit in. Where do I need fresh strength? That's when we have to examine our lives and see where we are lacking. Take inventory and see where the lacking is. What habits can I build to prepare for tomorrow's pressure? What habits can I build now, today, to prepare for tomorrow's pressure? Pressure's gonna come tomorrow. Pressure comes every day. But we gotta know where we stand and where we are weak. That's what we need to build on. Why does God allow pressure if he loves us? This is the reason why. Because a lot of people say God would not allow this to happen to me. God would not allow that to happen to her or him. But he allows pressure because pressure develops maturity, dependence, perseverance, and faith. The different characteristics of God, that's what it develops in us. How do I know whether pressure is from God or from the enemy? Hmm, that's a good question. Real good question. How do you know if it's from God or from the enemy? How do you know? How? Because God you gotta speak up.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I'm sorry. Because if it's an increase, if it's something that will bless you, that's from God.
SPEAKER_01God uses pressure to refine and strengthen. The enemy uses pressure to discourage and to destroy. God's purpose is always redemptive. But how can I remain strong during long seasons of pressure?
SPEAKER_00Keep standing. Keep standing, keep praying, and stay in the word of God.
SPEAKER_01Stay in prayer? Remain in God's word, maintain fellowship with believers, worship consistently, and remember God's promise. Can pressure become a blessing? Yes. Many of God's greatest blessings come after season of testing and perseverance. What's the greatest preparation for future pressure? Developing a daily relationship with God before the storm comes. Yes. That's the best advice anybody can have. Develop a daily relationship with God before the storm comes. Amen. Before pressure comes, and I'm done. Strengthen your prayer life. Strengthen your faith. Strengthen your family. Strengthen your commitment. Strengthen your walk with God. The believer who prepares in time of peace will stand in times of pressure. Remember this. Preparation before the pressure determines your perseverance during the pressure. Just remember our verse. First Corinthians sixteen and thirteen. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith. Quit you like men and be strong. Amen. Amen. Pressure's coming, trials is coming. But we got to must know how we're going to be able to deal with the pressure and everything else that's coming when it comes. We thank you for listening to us on this podcast this week. Please like, share, comment, let us know where you're at, where you're listening from, what platform you're listening to us from. And let us know how. You may have some ideas, you may have some questions that you need some answers to. Send us your your um your questions. And we will take a question each week and we will deal with that question. Amen. Thank you for everything. And until next week, we praise you and we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.